AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 15-1241.01

Will AI replace Telecommunications Engineering Specialists?

Telecommunications Engineering Specialists: AI can already handle 19 of 26 tasks; the work mostly needs a frontier-tier model.

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Every task, scored

The 26 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Telecommunications Engineering Specialists, from most to least exposed. 19 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.

Task AI exposure Evidence Model tier Importance
Provide user support by diagnosing network and device problems and implementing technical or procedural solutions. 88 Observed Frontier 3.8
Implement controls to provide security for operating systems, software, and data. 75 Estimated Frontier 4.1
Communicate with telecommunications vendors to obtain pricing and technical specifications for available hardware, software, or services. 75 Estimated Efficient 4.0
Manage user access to systems and equipment through account management and password administration. 75 Estimated Frontier 4.0
Implement or perform preventive maintenance, backup, or recovery procedures. 75 Estimated Frontier 3.9
Instruct in use of voice, video, and data communications systems. 75 Estimated Standard 3.9
Monitor and analyze system performance, such as network traffic, security, and capacity. 75 Estimated Frontier 3.9
Prepare purchase requisitions for computer hardware and software, networking and telecommunications equipment, test equipment, cabling, or tools. 75 Estimated Frontier 3.8
Document technical specifications and operating standards for telecommunications equipment. 75 Estimated Efficient 3.8
Estimate costs for system or component implementation and operation. 75 Estimated Efficient 3.7
Supervise maintenance of telecommunications equipment. 75 Estimated Efficient 3.4
Prepare system activity and performance reports. 75 Estimated Efficient 3.3
Keep abreast of changes in industry practices and emerging telecommunications technology by reviewing current literature, talking with colleagues, participating in educational programs, attending meetings or workshops, or participating in professional organizations or conferences. 65 Estimated Standard 4.2
Review and evaluate requests from engineers, managers, and technicians for system modifications. 65 Estimated Standard 4.2
Assess existing facilities' needs for new or modified telecommunications systems. 65 Estimated Standard 4.1
Test and evaluate hardware and software to determine efficiency, reliability, or compatibility with existing systems. 65 Estimated Standard 3.9
Use computer-aided design (CAD) software to prepare or evaluate network diagrams, floor plans, or site configurations for existing facilities, renovations, or new systems. 65 Estimated Frontier 3.3
Consult with users, administrators, and engineers to identify business and technical requirements for proposed system modifications or technology purchases. 60 Estimated Standard 4.3
Implement system renovation projects in collaboration with technical staff, engineering consultants, installers, and vendors. 60 Estimated Frontier 4.3
Develop, maintain, or implement telecommunications disaster recovery plans to ensure business continuity. 50 Estimated Frontier 4.1
Install, or coordinate installation of, new or modified hardware, software, or programming modules of telecommunications systems. 50 Estimated Standard 3.9
Inspect sites to determine physical configuration, such as device locations and conduit pathways. 20 Estimated Standard 4.0
Document procedures for hardware and software installation and use. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.0
Document user support activity, such as system problems, corrective actions, resolution status, and completed equipment installations. 20 Estimated Efficient 3.8
Order or maintain inventory of telecommunications equipment for customer premises equipment (CPE), facilities, access networks, or backbone networks. 20 Estimated Standard 3.6
Work with personnel and facilities management staff to install, remove, or relocate user connectivity equipment and devices. 20 Estimated Efficient 3.5

Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 1 of 26 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 25 of 26. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.

The model tier this role needs

A frontier-tier model or lower covers 100% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 100% of the work is something AI can address at some tier.

Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.

Wages, employment and outlook

US employment
179,740
Median annual wage
$134,050
Middle half of earners
$104,620 to $168,200
Projected change, 2024 to 2034
+11.9%

Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034. BLS publishes these figures by SOC code, so O*NET occupations that share a SOC code show the same figures.

Adjacent roles

The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.

Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.

Questions about Telecommunications Engineering Specialists and AI

Will AI replace Telecommunications Engineering Specialists?

AI already handles 19 of the 26 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 60 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears. BLS projects employment to change by +11.9% from 2024 to 2034.

What is the AI exposure of Telecommunications Engineering Specialists?

60 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 1 of the 26 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 25 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.

Which Telecommunications Engineering Specialists tasks can AI already do?

The tasks with the highest exposure are: Provide user support by diagnosing network and device problems and implementing technical or procedural solutions; Implement controls to provide security for operating systems, software, and data; Communicate with telecommunications vendors to obtain pricing and technical specifications for available hardware, software, or services. They are three of the 19 tasks that reach 60 or more.

What AI model tier does this role need?

A frontier-tier model or lower covers 100% of the role's importance-weighted task work. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.

How many people work as Telecommunications Engineering Specialists, and what do they earn?

179,740 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $134,050 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +11.9% from 2024 to 2034.

How to cite

Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.

JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Telecommunications Engineering Specialists. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/telecommunications-engineering-specialists

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